This memorial website was created in loving memory of our angel Dylan Ross Kissic. God blessed us with Dylan on August 27, 2003 and he went home to be with Jesus on May 16, 2006. We love and miss you Dylan!

Just Think of the Joy His precious life had only just begun, Big plans were made so much ahead For this little one But God gave a call today He sent his Angels on their way Just think of the joy As his feet touch the streets of gold Think of the joy as Jesus takes him In his arms to hold For his eyes now are seeing What we live our whole lives for May God’s peace fill your hurting hearts And only think of the joy If he could return he would not stay If there was a way he could talk to you I know just what he’d say Don’t cry for me because I’m gone Oh mom and dad Just wait til you see my brand new home Where my body’s not sick anymore Jesus healed me with his touch And your heart will not be broken for We’ll be a family once again God is building you a mansion here I see it all the time Because it’s right next door to mine Just think of the joy As my feet touched the streets of gold Just think of the joy I’m now with Jesus forever more And my eyes now are seeing What you live your whole live for No it won’t be long til we meet again But for now just think of the joy Oh I’ll always be your little boy But for now just think of the joy

(Regina Jinks)

This is a picture of a beautiful rainbow That Dylan sent for Nana and Papa and Michael and Lara while they were in Sanibel Island FL.

Dylan went home to be with Jesus while resting in his mommy's arms. His daddy, Dr. Fiser, Chuck, and Janet (his transplant coordinator) were all there to help say good-bye to our angel.

Dylan is now running and playing in God's beautiful garden with his friends who have also earned their wings..Jacob Snelling, Joshua Evans, Tanner Williams, Tre Andrew Burch, and Baby Noah.

A candle to remember, may it burn ever so brightAs we look to the heavens on this very night.Beyond the stars, our dear Dylan soarsEmbraced by his Savior on heaven's shores.As the angels protect him and sing his sweet nameWe honor his life with the glow of this flame.So we light this candle for our Dylan tonightAs a symbol of our love and his eternal life.

DYLAN'S STORY

I had a very good and uneventful pregnancy and on August 27, 2003 I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Dylan. He weighed 8 lbs and 4 oz and appeared to be a healthy child. It wasn't until he was 2 years old that we found out that he had a very serious heart problem. He had a murmur when he was born and the pediatrician told us that it was normal for newborn babies to have these and it should go away in a few days. A week later it was still there and he made us an appointment with a cardiologist at UAB for the following week. Two days before we were to take him to UAB he had his 2 week check-up. The doctor said that the murmur had gotten worse and when they checked his oxygen saturation levels it was 54 which was very bad. He told us to take him straight to the ER at Children's hospital. He called them and told them that we were on our way and to be expecting us. When we got there they rushed us straight to the back and that's where we met Dr. Romp (Dylan's cardiologist) for the first time. Our worst fears were confirmed when he did the echo on Dylan. He had a very serious heart defect called Transposition of the Great Arteries along with pulmonary stenosis, ASD, and VSD. TGA is a defect where the 2 arteries at the bottom of the heart are switched. One pumps oxygen poor blood to the lungs and back to the heart and the other pumps oxygen rich blood out to the body. Dylan's were switched and the oxygen poor blood was being pumped to his body. They told us that the only way he had survived this long was because of the VSD. It had allowed enough of the oxygen rich blood to mix with the oxygen poor blood that you could not tell anything was wrong with him right ater he was born. It was truly a miracle that he had the VSD. If he had not had it he would have died right after he was born. The normal procedure was to do and arterial switch and just simply switch the arteries, but Dylan never liked things the simple way. Since his pulmonary artery was so narrowed and underdeveloped they could not do the switch. They were going to have to a procedure called a "Rastelli" where they put a conduit or artificial valve in place of his. We embarked on a jouney for the next 2 and a half years that would be physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining. His first surgery was at 2 weeks old. They put in a bt shunt to help get his oxygen saturation levels up and to allow him time to grow and get bigger before they did the rastelli procedure. He was in the hospital for 8 days. The first year of his life was very difficult. He had alot of developmental delays due to him being sick. Two weeks after he turned a year old he had his first open heart surgery to put in the conduit. He was in the hospital for 14 days. After he got home he took off!! He started gaining weight, got caught up on all his delays and was during great. If you didn't know that he had a heart problem, you would have never been able to tell. Six months later (March 2005) he started showing signs of being sick again. A doctor visit and echo showed that the conduit was narrowing due to scar tissue and calcium build-up. He went back into the hospital and had an angioplasty done to open up the conduit. That worked really well, but only for a short amount of time. In September of 2005 it started narrowing again. He went into the hospital again. This time they were going to put in a stent to see if that would work better. Everything went well (we thought). When they were waking him up him up in recovery his blood pressure bottomed out and he coded twice. They rushed him back to the cath lab to see what went wrong. When they put the stent in it blocked a coronary artery and he had a heart attack. He now had significant damage to the left side of his heart. It was barely pumping. They called it left ventricular dysfunction. He was in the ICU at UAB for 7 days and then moved to Children's hospital for another 7 days. He began to get somewhat better and they were going to try to get him off IV meds and onto oral meds. He did well and they sent him home. Little did we know that would be the last time he would be home with us. Three days later he started vomiting and we took him back to Children's. The next morning he went into congestive heart failure. We almost lost him yet again. He was put on the venilator and was on it for 5 days. Dylan's heart was now to weak and he needed a heart transplant. He was put on the transplant list on October 26, 2005. Preliminary bloodwork showed that Dylan's PRA (panel reactive antibodies)was 100%. That meant that Dylan would most likely reject any heart that he received no matter how good the heart was. They tried several diferent things to try to get his PRA down but nothing worked. Dylan could not go home until he received his transplant because he was dependant on IV meds. He was in Children's Hospital PICU for the next 7 months. In March 2006 the surgeon sat us down to discuss Dylan's future. He said that even with a heart transplant Dylan only had about a 20% chance of survival because his PRA was so high. He basically told us that there was not much hope for our baby. We immediately started looking at other options. One of the doctors mentioned Arkansas Children's Hospital. They had a heart center and it was one of the best in the country. We surely did not want to go to Arkansas, but you'll do whatever you have to for your kids. On March 26, 2006 Dylan and I boarded the UAB jet and went to Arkansas. Three days after we got there, Dylan was back on the venilator. We were told that his heart was failing. They said that his only chance for survival until a heart became available was a mechanical assist device called a Berlin Heart. It connects to the heart and actually takes over for the heart. They said there were many risks, but there were also many benefits. On April 3, 2006 Dylan had open heart surgery again to put in the Berlin Heart. The surgery took almost 12 hours. The surgery went well but somehow a line that was running to his heart came out and air got into the device. They had to turn off the device and start CPR while the air was gotten out. They told us that there was a good chance that he might have had a stroke. He did have a stroke. It damaged 3 parts of his brain. When he woke up several days later, he could not talk and no use of his right side. Dylan had a remarkable vocabulary for a 2 year old and he was very frustrated when he could not talk. But he amazed the doctors yet agian. Within 2 weeks he had almost all his speech back. Within a week he was standing with help. About 5 days before he died he got to walk around the unit with alot of help and he was so excited. On May 15, one day after Mother's Day, he started having seizures. A CT scan showed that he had a severe brain hemmorage and there was massive brain damage. The doctors said that their was nothing that they could do. I called my husband and the rest of the family and they all came to Arkansas to say goodbye to our angel. On May 16, 2006 at 11:00 am we took Dylan off the venilator and his mechanical support for his heart. He was so tired and had fought so hard and I knew it was time to let him go home to Jesus. He passed away at 11:07 am.

*A Poem for Mommy*

A kiss to you on Mother's day, a hug from me to you. I know that you are sad sometimes, I know that you are blue. Please wipe away that tear, and put on a happy face. For I'm with God in Heaven now, and oh, Mommy, what a wonderful place! God gave me wings so I could fly, they are white with a hint of blue. I'm a big boy Mommy, with these wings of mine they carry me down to visit you. God is teaching me how to catch your prayers, prayers that come as wishes. Your wish is the same everyday, a wish that I could have stayed. I have a prayer for you now Mommy, I pray that you will hear. God needed me here with him, I have no pain or fear. For I am an Angel now you see, I watch over you each night and day. A little piece of Heaven on earth, guiding you on your way. I come to tuck you in each night, as you wanted to do with me. I hear your prayers and kiss your cheek, and then I watch you dream. Before I leave you and go back home, I look at you and sigh. And as I fly back to Heaven I sing you a lull-a-bye. A kiss to you on Mother's Day, a hug from me to you. I love you Mommy, please don't cry, you'll get to hold me soon.

When You Think of Me

I searched my heart for answers when my mind had none to give How something like this could happen when I wanted my child to live So many questions left unanswered and day after day they came A part of me felt so empty and I knew I would never be the same People were telling me to call if there was anything they could do We want to help and we’ll be there and I knew that this was true In their hearts they wanted to help but they didn’t know what to say But I knew the one who had the answers so I knelt on my knees to pray. In moments the room began to fill with God’s awesome peace and love. While sitting there with my eyes closed I saw a vision from above Then I heard the powerful voice of God as he whispered gently in my ear He said listen very closely my child there is something that you must hear I heard the voices of many angels who were singing around the throne They were rejoicing and praising God because my child had made it home. Oh but then I saw a wonderful sight that quickly made me smile There was someone in the arms of Jesus and I knew it was my child He took my child by the hand and began to walk towards the throne He stopped and turned to me and said “We’ll be there when you come home” I saw a twinkle of joy in the eyes of my child on Earth I would not see. My heart was filled with so much comfort when my child said to me “I’ll never know pain or sadness here and no fear will ever grip my soul I’ll never feel anything bad in my life in this place where I’ll never grow old I’m walking and talking with the Son of God so I’m asking you not to cry I know I’ll always be in your heart so we never have to say goodbye Be happy with me for I’m truly blessed, God’s greatest gift I’ve been given Live your life to the fullest-for me, and I’ll see you when you get to Heaven

Angel Boy

One day a tiny angel boy flew out of Heaven’s gates He was not discovered missing until it was too late Of course God was most disturbed about this precious little soul Who got away from Heaven before his time to go But God’s eye was on this little guy who’d been wonderfully designed Though tiny, he was mighty, he just needed growing time Yet somehow he slipped through the gate when the gatekeeper’s back was turned And he made it all the way to Earth with wings too small for his return He found a perfect mother whose heart was bigger then he was Not even Heaven could compete for such a mother’s love The divine love he brought with him was a direct love from God For he still belonged to Heaven though here on earthly sod He was so fragile and helpless his mother’s strength not quite enough Man’s world a strange and frightening place - not like Heaven - much too tough This child was made by God, in His image, for His glory No way could Earth lay claim to him, this precious angel boy Too weak to fly home on his own, God sent gentle angels down Who swiftly and sweetly carried him back home where he belonged God left a message for his mother to let her know that her son and she Would one day be together as sons and mothers ought to be But in the meantime she should listen and watch up in the sky For what she thinks are tiny birds may well be angels flying by

August 27, 2008 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DYLAN!!! Today you would have been 5 years old. I can only imagine what you would have been like today!! You would have been starting school and I am sure “ruling the roost”. There were many things left at your grave to remember your special day. You are and will always be forever in our hearts. We wanted to celebrate with you here today, but we know that your party in Heaven was UNBELIEVABLE!! We know that you have a perfect little body and we would not ever want to take that from you. We love you and miss you but one day we will see you again – HALALULLA!!

Here's Bady beside your tree - my how it has grown!!!!

When Brady celebrated his 10th Birthday we all knew that something was missing. That something was you!! We celebrated with Brady but our hearts were still heavy. When we got ready to leave you sent us this beautiful picture in the sky to let us know that you had been at the party the whole time!! You seem to have a way of showing us that no matter where we are you are and forever will be right there with us. We love you Dyl man!!!!

Right now I’m in a different place And though we seem apart I’m closer than I ever was I’m there inside your heart.

I’m with you when you greet each day And while the sun shines bright. I’m there to share the sunsets too, I’m with you every night.

I’m with you when the times are good To share a laugh or two And if a tear should start to fall, I’ll still be there for you.

And when the day arrives That we are no longer apart, I’ll smile and hold you close to me Forever in my heart.

Dear Mommy, Mommy did you think of me today? Mommy did you cry? Mommy I know that it is hard for you And you can’t understand why Mommy please don’t be angry with God It was time for me to leave I know that there are questions And answers that you can’t believe But know mommy that I’m okay And have never left your side Do you hear the things I say? Can you find the things I hide? The only thing I cannot take away Is the pain your heart feels So I asked the Lord for just one wish To help your heart to heal He told me to think carefully About what I could do or say To show how much you mean to me And how much I miss you too I thought of all the little things That used to make us laugh I thought of all the prayers you have Just to have me back I knew just what my wish would be It was there in front of me A beautiful dove God gave to me To show me of his love I whispered to the dove And told him how to find you I placed him on a rainbow So mommy when you think of me And cannot bear the pain Look for the gift I sent to you And allow my memory to remain I am in every laugh you have And in every hug you share I am the one who knows your soul And want you mommy to let go Take with you the memories Of the life you made for me And remember I never wanted you To feel this much pain So when you need to feel my touch Or to know that I’m still there Find the gift I sent from above And see in it all my love When you see a feather on the ground Know that I am still around

My Mommy is a Survivor

My mommy is a survivor, or so I heard it said. But I can hear her crying at night when all the others are in bed.

I watch her lay awake at night and go to hold her hand. She doesn't know I'm with her to help her understand.

But like the sands on the beach that never wash away... I watch over my surviving mommy who thinks of me each and everyday.

She wears a smile for others...a smile of disguise. But through Heaven's door, I do see tears flowing from her eyes.

My mommy tries to cope with death to keep my memory alive. But anyone who knows her, knows it's her way to survive.

As I watch over my surviving mommy through Heaven's open door I try to tell her that the angels protect me forever more.

I know that doesn't help her, or ease the burden she bears. So, if you have a chance, go visit her and show her that you care.

For no matter what she says or feels, My mommy has a broken heart that time won't ever heal.

DEAREST MAMA, I SEE HOW MUCH YOU MISS ME,AND WISH I WEREN'T GONE... I TOOK A PART OF YOU WITH ME THE DAY GOD CALLED ME HOME.PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND DEAR MAMA,THAT WE'RE NOT THAT FAR APART, FOR I'LL BE FOREVER NEAR BECAUSE I HAVE YOUR HEART. I KNOW THERE'S TIMES YOU FEEL THERE'S NO REASON TO GO ON, YOU WISH YOU COULD BE WITH ME,AND YOU HAVE BEEN ALL ALONG. JUST BECAUSE I WENT HOME AND I'M IN THE MASTER'S HANDS, DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT STILL WITH YOU... BESIDE YOU IS WHERE I STAND. PLESE TRY TO UNDERSTAND DEAR MAMA, THAT I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU SO, I CAN'T STAND TO SEE YOU HURTING AND THERE'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW. EACH TIME YOU FEEL THE SUNSHINE UPON YOUR LOVELY FACE, IT'S ME SMILING DOWN UPON YOU AND TOUCHING YOU WITH GOD'S SWEET EMBRACE. EACH NIGHT YOU'RE SAD AND LONELY AND THE TEARS YOU CAN'T CONTROL, I'M RIGHT THERE BESIDE YOU AND I NEVER WILL LET GO. GOD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU THAT HE KNOWS YOUR PAIN INSIDE. FOR HE LOST HIS SON TOO,UPON THAT CROSS HE DIED. HE WASN'T TRYING TO HURT YOU BY CALLING ME HOME SO SOON,THERE'S JUST PLANS THAT HE HAD FOR ME THAT NO ONE ELSE COULD DO. I WANT TO THANK YOU DEAREST MAMA,FOR ALL YOU GAVE TO ME, BUT MOST OF ALL, I THANK GOD BECAUSE YOU'RE THE BEST MOTHER ONE COULD BE. SO, EACH TIME YOU THINK OF ME AND TEARS FILL YOUR EYES, WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP, JUST LOOK UP TO THE SKIES. LIFE ON EARTH IS HARD, I KNOW,BUT YOU MUST BE SO STRONG. FOR I'LL BE FOREVER WITH YOU UNTIL GOD CALLS YOU HOME. I LOVED YOU FROM THE START AND I LOVE YOU STILL, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP,MAMA,FOR IT'S JUST NOT IN GOD'S WILL. I NEVER WILL FORSAKE YOU ,I'LL BE THERE EVERYDAY,I'LL HOLD YOU IN MY ANGEL WINGS AND GUIDE YOU ON YOUR WAY. ALTHOUGH, I'M GONNA GO NOW, REMEMBER IT'S NOT FOR LONG. FOR I'LL STAND BESIDE YOU THROUGH IT ALL AND I'M NEVER RELLY GONE. I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY AND I HATE TO KNOW YOU FEEL SO LOST. JUST REMEMBER WE WILL MEET AGAIN CAUSE JESUS LEFT THAT CROSS.

God’s Littlest Angel

Mommy and Daddy don’t cry for me To walk the Earth was not meant to be I’m in God’s house you see I watch over you everyday I know that you love me in a very special way You wanted me to be healthy and whole So you had to let me go You will get to see me everyday As you look at the children who pass your way I may be the little boy with the dimple on his chin Or the little girl with the golden curl You will know what you did is right Because when you look in the sky on a clear star filled night I will be the star that is shining so bright I love you Mommy, Daddy, and Brady - GOODNIGHT

It’s hard to believe that your gone… An angel took your hand that day I know God needed you to earn your wings, But we wanted you to stay. There will always be an emptiness Not having you by our side. I know we’ll meet again someday And we’ll try to hold on until then. Just because you went to Heaven, We know it’s not the end. Please wrap us in your lovely wings, Let us feel you near each day. And know you hold a special place in our hearts, Where you’ll forever stay.

We do not need a special day To bring you to our minds The days we do not think of you Are very hard to find

Each morning when we awake We know that you are gone And no one knows the heartache As we try to carry on

Our hearts still ache with sadness And the secret tears still flow What it meant to lose you No one will ever know

Our thoughts are always with you Your place no one can fill In life we loved you dearly In death we love you still

There will always be a heartache And often a silent tear But always a precious memory Of the days when you were here

If tears could make a staircase And heartaches make a lane We’d walk the path to Heaven And bring you home again

We hold you close within our hearts And there you will remain To walk with us throughout our lives Until we meet again

Our family chain is broken now And nothing seems the same But as God calls us one by one The chain will link again

A Child’s Angel

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born One day he asked God, “They tell me that you are sending me to Earth tomorrow. How am I going to live there being so small and helpless? Among the many angels, I chose one for you She will be waiting for you and she will take care of you But tell me, here in Heaven I don’t do anything but sing and smile That is always enough to make me happy Your angel will sing for you and also smile for you everyday You will feel your angel’s love and be happy How will I understand when people talk to me If I don’t understand the language of men? Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words that you will ever hear And with much patience and care your angel will teach you how to speak And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you? Your angel will place your hands together and teach you how to pray I’ve heard on Earth that there are bad men - who will protect me? Your angel will defend you even if it means risking it’s own life But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore Your angels will always talk to you about me And will teach you the way to come back to me even though I will always be next to you” At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could already be heard And the child in a hurry asked softly, “God if I am about to leave you now please tell me my angel’s name Your angel’s name is of no importance - you will call her MOMMY”

God saw you getting tired And a cure was not to be So He put His arms around you And whispered, “Come to Me” With tearful eyes we watched you go We watched you fade away Although we loved you dearly We could not make you stay A golden heart stopped beating Hard working hands at rest God broke our hearts to prove to us He chose to take the best It’s lonesome here without you We miss you more each day Life doesn’t seem the same Since you have gone away When days are sad and lonely And everything goes wrong We seem to hear you whisper “Cheer Up and Carry On” Each time we see your picture You seem to smile and say “Don’t cry, I’m iin God’s hands, We’ll meet again someday!”

Lullabies

Daddy please don’t look so sad Mommy please don’t cry I am in the arms of Jesus And he sings me lullabies Please don’t try to question God Don’t think He is unkind Don’t think He sent me to you and then changed His mind You see I am special and I’m needed up above I’m the special child you gave Him, the product of your love I’ll always be there with you, so watch the sky at night Find the brightest star that’s gleaming - that’s my halos brilliant light So Daddy please don’t look so sad Mommy please don’t cry I am in the arms of Jesus And he sings me lullabies

God’s Sweet Dreams

God wanted to bless us and knew just what to do He took a piece of His own heart and sent it to us in you You have such tiny fingers and oh such tiny toes To feel your face next to mine or to kiss your little nose Brings such joy to my heart that words cannot express And as your parent I am so proud the Lord has sent His best You are an original design - there is no other like you And I can only imagine what God has called you to do He chose you for a special purpose and sent you from above Wrapped you in your destiny and sealed with a kiss of love He promised you His favor, His mercy and His grace And the love of your Savior will shine upon your face So rock-a-bye my baby, in His presence you sleep tight Basking in the love of God - I love you too - GOODNIGHT

You were a gift sent straight from Heaven Sent to us form God above We didn’t know how much you would teach us About the meaning of true love For true love means sometimes letting go Of someone precious and dear That’s what we were forced to do Although we wanted to keep you here However this is quite a selfish wish One we should ignore But sweet Dylan we truly do believe God must have needed you more Perhaps to be an angel now Full of wisdom and love Watching over those of us who love you From the shining stars above We miss you more than you can ever know You’ll never be replaced In our hearts and memories forever Will be you sweet innocent face

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there I do not sleep I am a thousand winds that blow I am a diamond glint of snow I am the sunlight in the ripened grain I am the gentle autumn rain When you awake in the morning rush I am the swift uplifting rush Of quiet birds oin circling flight I am the soft star shine at night Do not stand by my grave and cry I am not there I did not die

For Mom and Dad

When Jesus lived upon the Earth So many years ago He called the children close to him Because he loved them so And with that tenderness of old That same sweet gentle way He holds your little loved one Close within His arms today And you’ll find comfort in your faith That in his home above The God of little children Gives your little one his love So think of your little Dylan Lighthearted, happy and free Playing in God’s promised land Where there is joy eternally

The Brave Little Soul By: John Alessi

Not too long ago in Heaven there was a little soul who took wonder in observing the world. He especially enjoyed the love he saw there and often expressed this joy with God. One day however the little soul was sad, for on this day he saw suffering in the world. He approached God and sadly asked, "Why do bad things happen; why is there suffering in the world?" God paused for a moment and replied, "Little soul, do not be sad, for the suffering you see, unlocks the love in people's hearts." The little soul was confused. "What do you mean," he asked. God replied, "Have you not noticed the goodness and love that is the offspring of that suffering? Look at how people come together, drop their differences and show their love and compassion for those who suffer. All their other motivations disappear and they become motivated by love alone." The little soul began to understand and listened attentively as God continued, "The suffering soul unlocks the love in people's hearts much like the sun and the rain unlock the flower within the seed. I created everyone with endless love in their heart, but unfortunately most people keep it locked up and hardly share it with anyone. They are afraid to let their love shine freely, because they are afraid of being hurt. But a suffering soul unlocks that love. I tell you this - it is the greatest miracle of all. Many souls have bravely chosen to go into the world and suffer - to unlock this love - to create this miracle for the good of all humanity."

Just then the little soul got a wonderful idea and could hardly contain himself. With his wings fluttering, bouncing up and down, the little soul excitedly replied. "I am brave; let me go! I would like to go into the world and suffer so that I can unlock the goodness and love in people's hearts! I want to create that miracle!" God smiled and said, "You are a brave soul I know, and thus I will grant your request. But even though you are very brave you will not be able to do this alone. I have known since the beginning of time that you would ask for this and so I have carefully selected many souls to care for you on your journey. Those souls will help you create your miracle; however they will also share in your suffering. Two of these souls are most special and will care for you, help you and suffer along with you, far beyond the others. They have already chosen a name for you". God and the brave soul shared a smile, and then embraced.

In parting, God said, "Do not forget little soul that I will be with you always. Although you have agreed to bear the pain, you will do so through my strength. And if the time should come when you feel that you have suffered enough, just say the word, think the thought, and you will be healed." Thus at that moment the brave little soul was born into the world, and through his suffering and God's strength, he unlocked the goodness and love in people's hearts. For so many people dropped their differences and came together to show their love. Priorities became properly aligned. People gave from their hearts. Those that were always too busy found time. Many began new spiritual journeys, some regained lost faith - many came back to God. Parents hugged their children tighter. Friends and family grew closer. Old friends got together and new friendships were made. Distant family reunited, and every family spent more time together. Everyone prayed. Peace and love reigned. Lives changed forever. It was good. The world was a better place. The miracle had happened. God was pleased.

DEAREST MOMMY,ALTHOUGH IT'S BEEN A WHILE NOW SINCE JESUSCALLED ME HOME, I'M ALWAYS THERE BESIDE YOU...YOU NEVER WALK ALONE. I SEE HOW MUCH YOU MISS ME AND ALL THE TEARS YOU CRY, BUT MOMMY NOW I'M ALL BETTER SINCE JESUS TOOK ME TO THE SKY. I CAN WALK AND RUN AND PLAY NOW JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER ANGELS HERE, THERE ISN'T ANY DIFFERENCE SHOWN AND NEVER ANY TEARS. I'M SURE YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF GOD CALLING ME HOME SO SOON, AND THE FACT THAT I WAS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS,BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...GOD CHOSE FOR ME THE BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL MOTHER.IT WASN'T MEANT TO HURT YOU AND EACH TIME YOU THINK OF ME, KNOW JUST HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU AND I'M WAITING ON YOU TIL' ETERNITY. SO,ALTHOUGH JESUS HAD TO CALL ME HOME... REMEMBER, I'M RIGHT THERE INSIDE YOUR HEART TO HELP YOU CARRY ON.

Gone from the earth so swiftly, Just like a flower in bloom, So young, so fair, so loving, Yet called away so soon. We'll meet him some glad morning, Resting by waters fair, he is waiting for our coming, In the upper garden there, Safe in the arms of Jesus.

God gave us a wonderful son, His memory will never grow old, He fashioned his smile out of sunshine, He molded his Heart of pure gold. He needed a new star in Heaven, A beautiful light to shine, So out of this old world of sorrow, He chose that dear son of mine.

Gone is the face we loved so dear, Silent is the voice we loved to hear, Too far away for sight or speech, But not too far for thought to reach. Sweet to remember him once here, Who, though absent, is just as dear

The whisper of an angel Can open Heaven’s gates A glimpse of faith and courage A love strong enough to wait Whisper you are safe Whisper softly angel love My heart is aching so Needing comfort from above Tell me you are with me Whisper gently in my ear “You will always be my mommy” In the quiet I will hear My heart still aches to hold you I close my eyes and see Your beautiful face now And who you were to be Through dreams I once held close In the distance, now so far Still your more than just my child You’re the twinkle in the stars So I’ll hear your angel whispers “You never need to let me go, Hold me mommy close within” Though the pain and sorrow flow One day we shall reunite angel Whisper words of grace And I promise I will hold you In another time and place

Special Angel in Heaven

There’s a special angel in Heaven That is a part of me It is not where I wanted him But where God wanted him to be He was here but just a moment Like a nighttime shooting star And though he is in Heaven He isn’t very far He touched the hearts of many Like only an angel can do I would have held him every minute If the end I only knew So I send this special message To the Heavens up above Please take care of my angel And send him all my love

I love you Dylan Mommy

Beside your grave I often stand With heart both crushed and sore, Silent till the sweet words come, "Not lost, but gone before." God knows how much I miss you, He counts the tears I shed, And whispers "He only sleeps, Your loved one is not dead." So I'll be brave dear Dylan, And pray to God each day, And when He calls me home to you, Your smile will guide the way

Don’t cry for me daddy I’m right here Although you can’t see me I see your tears I visit you often Go to work with you each day And when it’s time to close your eyes On your pillows is where I lay I hold your hand and stroke your hair And whisper in your ear If your sad today daddy Remember I am here God took me home This we know is true But you will always be my daddy Even though I am not with you I’m daddy’s special guy We will never be apart For every time you think of me Please know I’m in your heart

I love you Daddy

A beautiful little angel showed up to Heaven's gates confused and unknowing the plan that for them awaits. Then another little angel walked up and took his hand and said "Please don't be sad you left, you're in the Promised Land." "I'm glad to be here but I do not think I was to go, Perhaps there was a mistake, for my daddy wanted me so. The little greeting angel gave a sweet smile and said "My daddy wanted me too, but to Heaven I was led. You see, we do not get to choose when on earth it's time to go. He gives life, love and joy and a mother's womb to grow. The lord still needs new angels to guide down on earth . To watch over , comfort them, and help them see their worth." "Is there still a way that I can sleep in my daddy's bed?" The greeting angel grinned and said, "that luxury you'll keep. I visit my daddy nightly and softly sing him to sleep." The little angel replied, " then I think I'll like it here. I'll visit my daddy nightly and weaken his pain and fears. I love him and will keep him safe at night and in between, and let him know with a sweet memory that he is still with me." The greeting angel gave her new friend a big hug and said, "Until our mommy's & daddy’s meet us here, let's be best angel friends." "Okay." said the new angel, "that sounds good to me." Then the angels sat and played keeping their family in sight, humming the tunes to the song they would sing to their families tonight

Jeremy got this tattoo done in memory of Dylan. Jay Jay Owens in Talladega AL did the tattoo. Thank you so much Jay Jay, you did a great job!

Letter to Mom

Mom, please don’t feel guilty It was just my time to go I see you are still feeling sad And the tears just seem to flow We all come to earth for our lifetime And for some it’s not many years I don’t want you to keep crying You are shedding so many tears I haven’t really left you Even though it may seem so I have just gone to my Heavenly home And I’m closer to you than you know Just believe that when you say my name I’m standing next to you I know you long to see me But there’s nothing I can do I’ll still send you messages And hope you understand That when you time comes to “cross-over” I’ll be there to take your hand

We’ve been best buds right from the start We’ve a special place in each other’s hearts We play, we talk, we fight, we run Together we have so much fun

When I was born he was right there When we went home he gave me great care He helped mom with all she needed to do He held me close and loved me when I was blue

We have been together through thick and thin Fighting against all odds and still we win Together physically we may no longer be But together in heart we will always be free

To love each other no matter what Requires more love than most people have got But my Bubba has that much and more Because he still loves me and will forevermore

When he wants some space, he closes the door That’s when I lay down on the floor I lay flat so I can see And say real loud “Bady play with me”

One day again we will be able to play Do all the things we can’t today God was so good to give to me A brother to love and him to love me

Now I can watch over him, help him each day Send him my love when he’s having a bad day Now I’m the “older” brother in Heaven you see I got here first and that’s the way it had to be

A very special thanks to everybody who had a part in Dylan’s care. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, cards, food and support throughout this difficult time in our lives.

Dr. Romp - Thank you so much for taking such wonderful care of Dylan throughout his time here with us. God has given you an amazing gift and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you did for Dylan and for our family. You will always hold a special place in our hearts. God Bless You!

PICU doctors - What an amazing group of people. Thank you so much for all you did for Dylan while he was with you. What excellent care and concern for your patients!! We will always have a special place in our hearts for all of you and will hold dear the memories we have of our stay with you.

PICU nurses - Where in the world do I begin!! We love all of you more than you will ever know!! Thank you so much for the wonderful care you gave to Dylan and to us while we were with you. You guys are like family to us. Thanks to Dylan, we made many new friends and have really close relationships with a lot of you. We will forever be grateful to you for taking such great care of him and us.

CVICU doctors (Arkansas Children’s Hospital) - Thank you so much for giving Dylan a second chance at life. Even though the odds were against him, you never gave up. You have an excellent facility and a wonderful staff and we will forever be grateful for what you did for Dylan. God Bless You!!

CVICU nurses - Thanks to all of you who took care of Dylan. You guys made us feel so at home in a place that was far from home. God bless all of you!!

Chuck Johnson ( Arkansas Children’s Hospital) - Thank you for loving Dylan so much. He looked forward to seeing you everyday because you were his ticket outside. You obviously have a passion for what you do and it shows. Our family will always hold a special place in our hearts for you. I’m sure “buckwheat” (Dylan) thanks you to. God Bless!!

To our families and friends - Thank you so much for your love and support throughout Dylan’s entire sickness and his passing. We could have not made it with out you. God bless each and every one of you.

To our entire church family - Thank you so much for your love and support. God could not have put us at a better church. God Bless each of you.

Most of all, thank you God for sending us Dylan if only for a little while. You blessed us with an amazing little boy who showed us how to live and love. We give you all the praise and glory.

Last but not least thank you Brady (Dylan’s big brother) for being so strong and brave during all that has happened. Dylan loved you so much and could not have asked for a better big brother. Thank you so much for taking such good care of him. Even though he’s not here with you on earth he will always hold a special place in your heart and he’ll be with you no matter what. I love you!!

You r now a teenager / Nana
Your thirteenth birthday has come and gone. We did not remember you less this year than any of the other years but this year was different. You are now at an age where we know you would no longer be the little boy you were. You would not like us to ...
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Update / Nana
It has been a while since I updated on your site. Lots of things have happened since I last was here. Your Bubba has graduated high school and is now enrolled in college. Can't believe time has gone by so fast. You would be so proud of your Bubba...
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Ten years ago / Nana
Ten years ago (about right now) your Dad arrived at Arkansas Childrens Hospital to the reality that you were leaving us. The doctors gave us no hope of recovery. Still can't believe ten years when it seems as if it was yesterday. Through the years I...
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The month of May / Nana
This month is always a difficult time for all of us. Especially this year because you left us 10 years ago but your Bubba is also graduating the same time of month. Mom has to accept both happenings. Be joyful but also deal with a broken heart. We wi...
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NEW YEAR.....AND VALENTINE DAY / Nana
Another year has started. Very unusual!!! Lots of really warm weather and spells of extreme cold in between. So many days we would have loved to share with you. So many experiences we would like to have had you here with us. God however had other...
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